After the deeply dark and gloomy Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton — the last novel I read — I felt in need of some lighter fare. I’ve never read Mary Lawson though I’ve seen her name mentioned by several bloggers I follow, including Simon of Stuck in a Book who is a big fan of Lawson’s novels.
A Town Like Solace is Mary Lawson’s fourth novel, published in 2021 and longlisted for the Booker Prize that year. It’s surprising that the Booker judges considered this to be one of the 13 best novels they read from the 150 or so candidates. It’s a fairly light novel compared with the kind of issue-laden novels much beloved by the judging panel.
The setting is the fictional small town of Solace, Ontario, in the autumn of 1972. Solace is the kind of place where absolutely nothing escapes the attention of people who live there. They all know each other so when a stranger arrives in town, they immediately become the source of gossip. It’s not surprising — there isn’t a lot to do in Solace as newcomer Liam discovers on his first night.
Apart from some small farms, a new-ish secondary school all on its own in the middle of a field, a sawmill and a lumber camp a few miles out of town, that was it… both cafes were closed. In fact — as he looked about him — everything was closed. Not only that,ther ewas no one, not a single soul on the street. …Just after seven on a Thursday evening and the place was a ghost town.
Liam is one of the three characters whose perspectives are revealed in alternating chapters. First on the scene is seven-year-old Clara who has stood watch every day since her older sister Rose went missing. She’s vowed to stay at the window until Rose comes home, leaving her sentry post only to go to school or pop next door to feed the cat while her neighbour Mrs Orchard (Elizabeth) is in hospital.
Elizabeth’s story bridges that of Liam and Clara. From her hospital bed (we know she doesn’t recover), we learn how she became close (too close) to Liam when he and his family moved in next door. Though she hasn’t seen him for decades, she bequeaths him her house in memory of those happier days.
The plot essentially follows the progress of the relationship between Liam and Clara. Each of them is trying to make sense of their situation. Liam has just separated from his wife and left his life and job in the city. He’s floundering until a kind of friendship springs up with the local handyman and the district’s only policeman.
Clara is puzzled by many things. She understands Mrs Orchard is away but doesn’t know why there’s a strange man in her house. She understands her sister ran away after yet another row with her parents but is there something her parents are keeping from her? She’s a smart kid, so she tries to figure it out but as a child, her perspective is limited by lack of experience.
A Town Like Solace has a strong sense of place but it’s let down by sentimentality. I can see the attraction but for me it was the literary equivalent of vanilla ice-cream; pleasant enough but nothing to get excited about. For a different perspective take a look at Simon’s review.
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